Refrigerated display case having selfcontained refrigeration unit



Dec. 27, 1966 F. BARROERO 3,293,878

REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE HAVING SELF-CONTAINED REFRIGERATION UNIT Filed Dec. 25, 1965 FIG. .1.

Ha I 2 INVENTOR.

LOUIS F. BARROERO W MMm FiG. 3

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,293,378 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE HAVING SELF- CONTAINED REFRIGERATION UNIT Louis F. Barroero, 1585 Daniels Drive, San Leandro, Calif. 94577 Filed Dec. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 515,945 Claims. (Cl. 62255) This invention relates generally to the construction of commercial refrigerated display cases, particularly those which contain their own refrigeration unit and may, therefore, be positioned in many different locations with in a store.

This invention is especially useful in connection with refrigerated display cases having a vertical front opening as shown and described in United States Patent No. 3,090,211. That patent teaches a display case comprising a plurality of hollow shelf members which are divided into upper and lower air compartments. Means, including air ducts and blowers, is also provided for moving refrigerated air into the upper compartment of each shelf, and withdrawing the air from a subjacent shelf space into the lower compartments. Air which is withdrawn into a lower compartment is returned to a refrigerating medium (coils) where it is again cooled and then recirculated. Although structures of that kind have been made previously with a self-contained refrigeration unit, considerable shelf space was necessary for housing such units. Moreover, because of the arrangement of refrig eration apparatus, difficulty was found in maintaining uniform air flows into the various air ducts and shelves of the case.

In brief, the present invention teaches a refrigerated display case having a pair of coil housings centrally d-isposed within a base compartment and combined with a novel arrangement of blowers for moving refrigerated air with substantial uniformity of pressure into and through the coil housings, connecting duct work and compartmentalized shelf structures.

One object of this invention is to provide a refrigerated display case of the type described having a novel arrangement of refrigeration coils and blowers for moving refrigerated air through a plurality of air ducts under uniform pressures as to maintain substantial uniformity in the temperatures of the case.

Another object is to provide a refrigerated commercial display case of the kind described having refrigeration coils and blowers arranged in a nested manner that economizes the space of a base compartment and facilitates the manufacture of display cases for commercial use.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the lower portion of a display case which embodies the present invention, the front panel of the base compartment being omitted to show the apparatus housed therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view and partial section of the base compartment as viewed on lines 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a substantially vertical section taken on the broken lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

The display case shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is of the same type as that shown and described in United States Patent No. 3,090,211. The display case comprises a plurality of hollow shelves 11, each air shelf having perforated upper and lower surfaces and being mounted on a pair of vertical air ducts 12 and 13. A base compartment 14 is provided in the bottom of the display case and within this compartment is provided a refrigeration unit comprising a pair of coil housings 15 and 16, each housing having a refrigeration coil mounted therein. The inlet end of each coil housing is connected to a blower means 17 by a common lead-in 18, the discharge ends of coil housings 15 and 16 being separately connected to a pair of blowers 19, respectively. Blower means 17 fluidly communicates with a manifold 20, which also communicates with each of the vertical air ducts 12. Blowers 19 are respectively connected to one of the vertical air ducts 13 by air passages 21 and 22.

Air ducts 12 and 13, it will be noted, are arranged in alternating fashion along the back side of case 10, and the upper compartment of each shelf 11 is fluidly connected to one of the air ducts 13 by a lead-in 11a, shown in FIG. 3. In essentially the same manner air ducts 12 are connected to a lower compartment of each shelf above those shown, as well as to an air compartment at the top of the case. These connections are the same as those described in the above identified United States patent. Accordingly, it is to be understood that blowers 19 force refrigerated air through air ducts 13 and into the upper compartment of each shelf 11, causing the air to be expelled through the perforated upper shelf surface. A negative pressure, applied by blower 17, produces a vertical movement of refrigerated air through the shelf spaces, a withdrawal of such air through the lower perforated surfaces of superjacent shelves and a return through air ducts 12, manifold 20 and coil housings 15 and 16.

The use of a split coil arrangement such as provided by coil housings 15 and 16 is extremely important to providing short, clean connections between the vertical air ducts 13 and their associated blowers 19. Furthermore, this feature greatly enhances the flow of refrigerated air into the shelves without substantial pressure losses, thereby creating a more uniform temperature throughout the case. The split coil arrangement also permits the use of smaller blowers than is otherwise necessary where a single coil of equal refrigeration capacity is used.

It is to be noted that coil housings 15 and 16 are preferably disposed at a slight angle rather than in a straight line. This arrangement contributes to a better air flow from blower 17 into the refrigeration coils, this air flow being further improved by using a plurality of flow guide vanes 23 which distribute the air to the pair of coil housings.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, various modifications or changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims, and each of such modifications or changes is contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refrigerated display case having a base compartment for housing refrigeration apparatus, the cornbination comprising: a plurality of first and second vertical air ducts mounted in horizontally spaced relation longitudinally of said case; a pair of coil housings disposed centrally within said base compartment, each housing having a refrigeration coil mounted therein; means including a blower fluidly communicating the inlet end of each coil housing with the lower ends of said first vertical air ducts; a pair of first and second blowers disposed within said base compartment; and means fluidly connecting said first and second blowers, respectively, between the discharge end of one coil housing and the lower end of a second vertical air duct.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plurality of first and second vertical air ducts are arranged in alternating fashion along the backside of said case, each first vertical air duct being connected to said blower by a manifold.

4 a 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inlet end for distributing air around the refrigeration coil of each of each coil housing communicates With a common leadhousing. in, said lead-in having a plurality of flow guide vanes for References Cited by the Examiner flisltlrsiibligting air through the refrigeration coil of each 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said co-il hous- 2,630,684 3/1953 Strong 62-256 ings are arranged with their inlet ends adjacent to one 3,090,211 5/1963 Barroero 62 256 another, said inlet ends being connected to said blower 3,123,988 3/1964 Richman 62-256 with a common lead-in.

5. The combination of claim 4 and further comprising 10 WILLIAM Primary Examiner a plurality of flow guide vanes mounted in said lead-in 

1. IN A REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE HAVING A BASE COMPARTMENT FOR HOUSING REFRIGERATION APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF FIRST AND SECOND VERTICAL AIR DUCTS MOUNTED IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID CASE; A PAIR OF COIL HOUSINGS DISPOSED CENTRALLY WITHIN SAID BASE COMPARTMENT, EACH HOUSING HAVING A REFRIGERATION COIL MOUNTED THEREIN; MEANS INCLUDING A BLOWER FLUIDLY COMMUNICATING THE INTLET END OF EACH COIL HOUSING WITH THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID FIRST VERTICAL AIR DUCTS; A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND BLOWERS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID BASE COMPARTMENT; AND MEANS FLUIDLY CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLOWERS, RESPECTIVELY, BETWEEN THE DISCHARGE END OF ONE COIL HOUSING AND THE LOWER END OF A SECOND VERTICAL AIR DUIT. 